VCA Berwyn Animal Hospital

Internal Medicine

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Frank Norton, DVM
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    Frank Norton, DVM
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VCA Berwyn Internal Medicine Department
We offer a wide range of internal medicine services at VCA Berwyn Animal Hospital by our board certified internal medicine specialist, Dr. Frank Norton, DVM, DACVIM.  He has been practicing at our hospital since 1983 and is very proficient in all aspects of internal medicine and has particular interests in various complicated and serious medical conditions such as chronic renal failure, liver disease, diabetes and infectious disease. Appointments are available during the week as well as on Saturdays.

In addition to consulting, performing advanced medical diagnostic procedures and seeing appointments; Dr. Norton oversees the care and treatment of all the hospitalized patients. This ensures that your pet receives the best medical care possible.

We welcome you to learn more about Dr. Norton by reviewing his biography and have provided general information about the specialty of internal medicine and how we may be able to help you and your pet below:
 

What Is A Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist?

A board certified veterinary internal medicine specialist is a licensed veterinarian who has obtained intensive, additional training in understanding how your pet's internal body systems function and in diagnosing and treating the many serious diseases that can affect the health of those systems. An internal medicine specialist has advanced training in the following disciplines:
 

  • Endocrinology 
  • Cardiology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Hematology (study of the blood)
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Nephrology/Urology
  • Neurology
  • Respiratory Diseases
  • Oncology

While your general practitioner veterinarian can diagnose and treat many health problems, certain diseases and conditions require the care of a doctor who has had specialized, intensive training in internal medicine in order to provide the very best outcome for your pet.

*Within the discipline of veterinary internal medicine, there are also veterinarians who specialize further in Small Animal Medicine, Cardiology, Neurology, and Oncology.
 

Why Does My Pet Need A Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist?

Just as your own primary care physician may feel the need to refer you to the care of a specialist from time to time, your general practitioner veterinarian may feel your pet needs a specialist to help diagnose or treat a particularly complicated medical problem. While your general practitioner veterinarian can handle many aspects of your pet's care, just as in human medicine, there is sometimes a need for the attention of a specialist. You can be assured that a veterinarian who knows when to refer you and your pet for more specialized diagnostic work or treatment is one that is caring and committed to ensuring that your pet receives the highest standard of medical care for his or her problem.

While in some cases, your veterinarian may be able to simply consult with a specialist about your pet's care, in other cases it is necessary to actually refer you and your pet to the specialist for more advanced diagnostics and treatment. Board certified veterinary internists may also have access to specialized diagnostic or treatment tools that a general practitioner veterinarian may not have.

What Health Problems Does A Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist Treat?

Board certified internal medicine specialists are trained to treat the most serious diseases and health problems that affect pets. They are also especially prepared to care for pets that may be facing multiple health problems. Thanks to better health care, more and more pets are living longer lives. As a result, an increasing number of older pets, just like older people, are coping with multiple disease states that can be very difficult to manage. For example, a cat with diabetes may also be suffering from kidney failure, or a dog in heart failure may also be diagnosed with cancer. Internal medicine specialists are uniquely prepared to oversee the care of these complicated cases. In other situations, a younger animal may develop a problem that used to be considered untreatable but is now manageable and perhaps even curable.

Here are some common diseases that frequently lead general practitioner veterinarians and concerned pet owners to seek the expertise of a specialist:
 

  • Cancer
  • Heart Disease
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases
  • Diabetes Mellitus
  • Immune Related Disorders
  • Kidney Dysfunction

Will My Regular Veterinarian Still Be Involved?

In many cases, your regular veterinarian will still supervise your pet's veterinary care, especially if your pet is coping with multiple disease states or conditions. In other cases, your referral doctor will take over the majority of your pet's medical care. It depends on your pet's particular disease and health problem.

Did You Know?

There are approximately 1400 board certified veterinary internal medicine specialists in the United States, and the number is growing.




 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do I Bring to my Referral Appointment?

Be sure to bring any relevant medical records or information to your first appointment. Ask your veterinarian for copies of any relevant medical tests, imaging studies, x-rays, or laboratory panels.

Remember, you also can do your part to maximize your pet's recovery by keeping your pet's traveling medical records organized and by strictly adhering to the recommendations of your veterinary team for the scheduling of follow up appointments, etc. At every appointment, be sure to write down any important recommendations, or ask the veterinarian or a staff member to write them down for you.
 

What are your hours of operation?

8 AM to 8 PM Monday -Thursday
8 AM to 6 PM Friday
8 AM to 4 PM Saturday

Doctors are on Premises 24/7, 365 days each year so your pet's emergency needs will be taken care of any time night or day. No appointments are needed for emergency care.

Appointments can be made with any of our specialty services by calling 708-749-4200.

 


 

What is your payment policy?

Payment is required when services are rendered.  We accept payments by cash, check, as well as all major credit cards.

We also offer  CareCredit, which offers intrest free payment plans. If approved, you can use that for payment right away and be billed monthly.  You can apply here at the hospital, or online at http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/

Services Offered in Internal Medicine

Veterinarians in Internal Medicine

Departments & Doctors

HOW TO REACH US

VCA Berwyn Animal Hospital
Phone: 708-749-4200
Fax: 708-749-4269
2845 South Harlem Ave.
Berwyn, IL 60402
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BUSINESS HOURS

Mon-Thu 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Fri 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sat 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sun Open 24 hours

We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergency services.
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General Practice

We have over 540 animal hospitals in 41 states that are staffed by more than 2,000 fully qualified, dedicated and compassionate veterinarians, with more than 200 being board-certified specialists. The nationwide VCA family of general practice hospitals give your pet the very best in medical care, providing a full range of general medical and surgical services as well as specialized treatments*: Wellness, Spay/neuter, Advanced diagnostic services (MRI/CT Scan), Internal medicine, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Cardiology, Neurology, Boarding, Grooming

*services may vary by location.

Our family of pet hospitals stands out by delivering the greatest resources in order provide the highest quality care available for your pets. By maintaining the highest standards of pet health care available anywhere, we emphasize prevention as well as healing. We provide continuing education programs to our doctors and staff and promote the open exchange of professional knowledge and expertise. And finally, we have established a consistent program of procedures and techniques, proven to be the most effective in keeping pets healthy.

Find a VCA General Care Animal Hospital near you:

 

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Emergency Care

Call 708-749-4200 if you have any questions or concern regarding your pet.

We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for any emergency , including all holidays.  Veterinarians are on the premises around the clock.

Some symptoms that may indicate your pet may need to be seen on an emergency basis include:

  • Difficulty Breathing and/or pale or blue gums or tongue
  • Heavy Bleeding - apply direct pressure to the wound
  •  Major Trauma - if your pet has fallen, been hit by a car or has multiple wounds
  • Gaping Wounds
  • Collapse/Loss of Consciousness
  • Paralysis
  • Lacerations and Bite Wounds
  • Poisoning
  • Infections - or if your pet suddenly gets worse while on medication for an infection
  • Difficulty Urinating - Frequent attempts to urinate that don't produce a normal urine flow could indicate infection or obstruction - especially in male cats!
  • Eye Problems - redness, tearing, pain, squinting or eyelid spasms
  • Prolonged or multiple episodes of vomiting or Diarrhea

 

 

  

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